Behind every
adult is an
inner child
who’s hurting
and yearning
to be seen, heard,
loved, and safe.
❤️
Take care of
yourself in ways
that make your
inner child feel
completely whole,
and absolutely
safe. Give them
the love and care
you needed as a child✨
Toni O’KEEFFE 🔆
No matter how heavy life gets, make time to stop, put it all down, and have some fun. Be silly, blow bubbles, snuggle your fur babies, laugh, splash in puddles, run into the waves, walk in the forest, jump on the trampoline, dig in the garden, ride your bike, dance to your tunes or dance in the rain, but, get out there and play.
It’s these lighthearted moments that relieve the pressure, clear the mind, move the body and give us a reprieve from the heavy and painful parts of life. Play time is important no matter how old we are.
So dig out and dust off your play clothes, and go get your “play” on.
Toni O’Keeffe🔆
If my spiritual beliefs, my gay friends, the colour of my skin, the company I keep, the size of my body, my clothes, my hair, my taste in music, the language I speak, or anything else I do or anyone does, that doesn’t harm you, but offends you, look in the mirror and ask yourself, WHY?
What is it you’re afraid of?
We come into the world with a huge capacity to love, it’s our natural state. No matter what circumstances we’re born into, we’re all born with a heart ready to love.
Hate and intolerance are learned behaviour and stem from fear, ignorance and insecurity, often passed on by others.
Of course, we’ll disagree, debate and have different perspectives on things. That’s normal. It’s through civil conversations and debate that we learn and grow. These are healthy outlets and not the same as racism, hate, bullying or berating those who think, look or act differently than we do.
So, rather than living in a state of fear or ignorance about something or someone, choose to be curious and learn about it or them.
Learning about each other fosters compassion, kindness, understanding, acceptance and, erodes fear and insecurity.
We’re not supposed to be the same. It’s the diversity of our human population that has allowed humanity to grow and achieve extraordinary innovations in the areas of technology, medicine, science, engineering, agriculture, space exploration, artistic creation, and so much more, BECAUSE WE ARE DIFFERENT.
Yup, there will be some people we never agree with or get along with, doesn’t mean we have to hurt or kill them.
We’re one human family, living on one planet, under one sun. Our chances of survival will be a whole lot better if we all start getting along.
Toni O’Keeffe🔆
“You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one”
~ John Lennon
One day you’ll;
🌷stop trying to impress others,
🌷no longer feel the need to win every race or argument,
🌷stop explaining yourself and forcing connections that feel uncomfortable,
🌷realize your peace and your energy is sacred,
🌷stop chasing people and things that are not meant for you,
🌷stop wanting more and be grateful for what you have,
🌷walk away before your soul becomes heavy,
🌷appreciate simple things, like, calm mornings, good people, a good book, the sites and sounds of the natural world, and a life that’s not hurried or rushed.
And when this day arrives, you will bask in the beauty, the wisdom and growth you’ve acquired along the way, and settle into the most comfortable and joyful part of life.
Now, you just have to pick the day.
Toni O’Keeffe🔆
We spend so much time trying to map out and plan every aspect of our lives, we often forget that sometimes, the most beautiful parts of life, are the moments we never saw coming.
🩷☀️🩷
So, relax, grab a coffee, and trust that life is unfolding as it’s meant to be.
Toni O’Keeffe🔆
Love is not always,
loud, public, flashy
or wrapped in a bow.
Sometimes, it’s the
calm presence of
someone who cares.
It’s the reassuring
voice of a parent
or friend cheering
you on.
It’s the ones who
show up when life
gets hard. It’s
supportive and kind.
It might be a hug,
a hand to hold or
a shoulder to cry
(or laugh) on.
Sometimes, love is,
messy hair, sunshine
sweatpants, and
a furry wet nose.
Love looks different
to all of us. It’s shaped
by our experiences,
values, personalities,
even our DNA.
You decide what
love looks like to you,
then, bask in it.
We don’t have to
agree on a single
definition of love,
to know that the
world needs more of it.
Live and let live,
Love and let love.
Toni O’Keeffe🌈🔆
The clouds can only hold so much pressure before they burst and rain falls.
We’re similar, we can only take so much before the pressure builds and we burst (metaphorically).
But there’s lots we can do before it gets to that point;
~ learning to say no,
~practicing meditation and mindfulness,
~ engaging in creative expression,
~ regular self-care (including proper nutrition, sleep, and exercise)
~ nurturing an attitude of gratitude,
~ journaling,
~ talking to someone,
and
~ setting boundaries will help.
We’re basically beautiful little rain clouds. We have to take care of ourselves so we’re prepared to weather the storms that come with this extraordinary human journey. And, when things do get too heavy, you’re allowed to let them go.
Toni O’Keeffe🔆
~ Be your own kind of beautiful
Sunflowers are tall, sun-loving plants with large yellow, sun-like heads blooming in the summer and late fall.
Bluebells are tiny, slim, shade-loving, woodland, purpley-blue wildflowers with delicate, bell-shaped heads, preferring to make their appearance in the spring.
These flowers are very different, yet both, possess their own kind of beauty and add colour and life to the landscape where they blossom and grow.
You also possess your own kind of beauty, and add colour and life to your tribe, community and the landscape where you grow.
Embrace your colourful and authentic self, quirks and all.
Our human garden needs you to bloom into your own kind of beautiful.
Toni O’KEEFFE 🔆
🌹🪻🌸🌻🌷🌺🌼
We all have bad days, days we mess up and nothing goes according to plan. Days we’re late for work, hairs a mess, shirts inside-out, we spill our coffee, burn the toast, lose a shoe, car won’t start, miss the bus, forget our password, forget to feed the cat or water the plants…….you get it.
These chaotic, confusing, muddled days, are an important part of the journey, they teach us resilience, patience, adaptability, coping skills, humility and foster introspection.
The messy days also gift us with an opportunity to reflect, reset and, most importantly, they pass.
Our bad days are the fuel on which we learn and grow. They remind us that we can’t control everything, so relax and stop trying.
And hey, you’ve survived every messy day you’ve ever had! That makes you a bit of a rock star! (and rock stars get pretty messy)
So pick your amazing, messy self up, inhale the learning, turn your shirt around, feed the cat, get another coffee and start over, knowing you’re awesome and there’s purpose in those challenging, mixed-up, messy days.
Toni O’Keeffe🔆
Just out here, living my island life, watching waves roll in and out, oohing and awing at big forest trees, wandering along river pathways, watching bugs do their thing, feeling the sun, the wind and the rain, kiss my skin (because this is the West Coast and the weather changes every 20 minutes.😊). And, I love it and I’m really, really, grateful for it🙏.
There’s joy, peace, and healing to be found doing simple things, in ordinary places.
Finding happiness doesn’t have to be so difficult, it’s right there, under your nose, in those simple moments and those little things.
Toni O’Keeffe🔆
The Whimsey Angel 